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The Houston Astros sit in second place in the American League West before Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite injuries to their starting pitchers, including Luis Garcia, the Astros continue to play well. However, the team has shown an ability to work around obstacles and remain competitive.
They aren't the same team as the Houston squads that won championships in 2017 and 2022, but the Astros have a chance to win their division again and make a run in the AL playoffs. Offensively, they have put together another strong season behind Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez. On the mound, though, his team has struggled to start the season.
Lance McCullers Jr. is a good story in Houston, but he isn't the pitcher he used to be. Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown have been given the bulk of the responsibility in the starting rotation. The team's injuries have them in a position where they need to get aggressive on the trade market to bring in a starter capable of contributing in big spots.
Garcia is more than a month away from getting back on the mound. Without him, the team has only two pitchers they can rely on. Here are three pitchers that should be high on the Astros' target list as teams prepare to make deals around the trade deadline.
Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara
Sandy Alcantara won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022. His 2023 season was cut short and he required Tommy John surgery. After missing the entirety of the 2024 season, Alcantara is still finding his footing in 2025. In 11 starts, the 29-year-old is 2-7 with an ERA of 8.47 so far. However, scouts around the league believe that the Marlins ace can bounce back.
Jon Heyman is surprised that Alcantara's name is so popular in trade rumors. However, the sentiment around the league is that he can recapture his brilliance given time. At this point in the season, Miami is not in a position to make a run at the leaders in the NL West, but could still have an impact on the season's outcome.
If the Astros do acquire Alcantara via trade and he does rebound back into what he was before his injury, he could be an asset. He would walk into the door as Espada's third-best starter, forming an intimidating trio with Valdez and Brown. Playing with a better offense should help his record, boosting his confidence in the second half of the season.
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray is an interesting name as the trade deadline gets closer. His 5-1 record is attractive, but his 4.06 ERA gives fans pause. His availability and value to the Cardinals could fluctuate drastically depending on their record. St. Louis has impressed in the NL Central division so far, but the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers are right behind them. All it would take is one slip and the Cardinals could go from second to fourth in the division in the span of two weeks.
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Gray is a serviceable replacement for Garcia in Espada's rotation, but he would also be the third starter behind the Astros' duo of Valdez and Brown. For Gray, that could be a good thing. This year, the 35-year-old was thrust into the spotlight as the Cardinals' ace. While he hasn't cracked yet, a role with the Astros would come with a lot less pressure attached to it.
Depending on where St. Louis finds themselves before the trade deadline, Gray's price tag varies. At 35, the Astros would be trading for him with the knowledge that this might be his last premier season. Houston needs to make a move for a talented starter, and Gray has experience in the postseason that is valuable to contenders looking to make improvements.
Toronto Blue Jays Chris Bassitt
The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in a similar position to the Cardinals. Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman have led a rotation that has the Blue Jays in second place in the AL East. However, the odds of them catching the New York Yankees to seize the top spot are slim. Regardless, John Schneider's team is playing well despite the fact that Max Scherzer is on Toronto's injured list.
Bassitt doesn't receive as much fanfare as Gausman does, but he has been just as effective. A 3.38 ERA and a 4-3 record has cemented him as a key piece of the team's rotation. However, playing with a better offense complementing his pitching could boost his numbers. Add in the fact that Houston's defense has been better than Toronto's and Bassitt could make a big improvement on the Astros.
Bassitt is even older than Gray, putting Houston in a similar position on the market. However, Garcia, Valdez, McCullers Jr., and Brown are all at least five years younger, giving Espada more options moving forward. Making a move for a pitcher like Bassitt is a sign of faith in the team's current roster, which could be exactly what they need.
The Astros could be one starting pitcher away from hoisting another title, and they will have plenty of options this summer. Their chances as contenders could come down to who they bring in and how much they get out of him down the stretch of the season. Regardless, the pressure is on Espada and general manager Dana Brown to make the right choice.
